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Statement on Rubio’s Remarks at Anti-LGBT Rally

Posted August 12, 2016

Today, ignoring the pleas from hundreds of his constituents, Marco Rubio took the stage at an anti-LGBT rally in Orlando on the two month anniversary of the Pulse shooting. In his remarks, Rubio stated that heterosexual marriages deserve “to be elevated and set apart in our laws” from same-sex marriage. This is from the same Senator who said, “I’m not for special protections based on orientation,” when arguing against a law protecting LGBT Americans from workplace discrimination.

Rubio’s shameless hypocrisy didn’t end there. On the subject of gun violence, Rubio pointed to “a broken society where we're raising young men and women to have such disregard for life.” This conveniently omits the role Congressional Republicans have played in obstructing commonsense gun safety measures backed by more than 8 in 10 Floridians. Rubio has offered no legislation to help prevent gun violence after citing the Pulse shooting as the reason he decided to run for reelection.

In response, FDP Chair Allison Tant issued the following statement:

“Shame on Marco Rubio for ignoring his constituents and speaking at an anti-LGBT rally in Orlando on the two month anniversary of the Pulse shooting. To say this is an insult to Orlando’s LGBT community would be a profound understatement. Sadly, Rubio’s disrespect was not limited to his desire to relegate gay and lesbian Floridians to second-class citizens.

“The notion that we must throw up our hands in the face of gun violence because young people ‘have such disregard for life’ is a pathetic excuse for inaction. The overwhelming majority of Floridians and Americans support commonsense gun safety measures, and the only people standing in the way of passing this legislation is Congressional Republicans funded by the NRA.”